Located on Nyali Beach, just north of Mombasa, the Mombasa Beach Hotel is a large hotel (150 rooms) perched on a cliff top overlooking the beach and set in tropical gardens. The hotel offers a lounge (with satellite TV), five restaurants, several bars, two swimming pools and a sports centre. The sports centre offers: tennis, basketball, badminton courts and crazy golf. The hotel 's beach offers a variety of water sports including sailing, windsurfing, goggling, snorkeling, scuba diving, big game fishing and glass bottomed boat excursions.

The Swahili coast, a glorious ribbon of silver and sapphire, crashing surf and bright coral, is steeped in a turbulent history pre-dating Da Gama. The Swahili culture, a fabulous fusion of Arab, African, and Portuguese has created a pace of life, a style of cuisine and a mosaic of architecture, heritage, myth and magic that is found nowhere else in the world.

Location and seasons Kenya's north coast, one of her most popular beach holiday destinations, offers clear blue sea, marine parks, excellent water sports, coral reefs, monsoon winds, numerous hotels and beach resorts, family vacations, sun n sand, cultural and beach travel and more. Close to Mombasa, it is also within easy reach of Malindi, Lamu, Diani and many other popular Kenya safari resort hotels.

Beach vacation facts The Kenyan coast is roughly divided into ‘North and ‘South' of the island city of Mombasa.To reach the south coast, it is necessary to cross from the island of Mombasa via the Likoni Ferry (10 minutes) to the start of the south coast beaches. The link to the north coast is via the Nyali Bridge, which leads from the island (via the suburb of Nyali) to the north coast.

Beach facts: Hottest time is between November and March, rainy season is May and June (hotel closed 01 May to 15 June); sea weed on beach and strong winds May /August. September to November is cool and pleasant.

Mombasa Mombasa is the second largest city in Kenya, lying on the Indian Ocean. It has a major port and an international airport. The city is the centre of the coastal tourism industry. The original Arabic name is Manbasa; in Swahili it is called Kisiwa Cha Mvita (or Mvita for short), which means "Island of War", due to the many changes in its ownership. The town is also the headquarters of Mombasa District which, like most other districts in Kenya, is named after its chief town. The city has a population of 727,842 and is located on Mombasa Island, which is separated from the mainland by two creeks; Tudor Creek and Kilindini Harbour. The island is connected to the mainland to the north by the Nyali Bridge, to the south by the Likoni Ferry and to the west by the Makupa Causeway, alongside which runs the Uganda Railway. The port serves both Kenya and countries of the interior, linking them to the Ocean. The town is served by Moi International Airport.

The Background Kenya's stunning coastline (485 kms from Nairobi) runs 700 km between the Tanzanian and Somali borders and is renowned for its silken white sandy beaches, coconut palms, sheltered lagoons, pellucid blue waters, remote islands, uncharted mangrove swamps and mysterious Arab and Swahili ruins, many of which date back to the 8th Century AD. An idyllic climate cooled by the monsoon, the Swahili coast offers a daily average of 8 hours of sunshine, and the hot steamy climate is tempered by the monsoon winds: the south-easterly Kusi, which blows from April to October; and the north-easterly Kaskazi which blows from November to March.

Accommodation There are 150 air conditioned rooms all ensuite with balconies.

Dining and bars There are five restaurants and entertainment is offered nightly.

Jumba la Mtwana (Mansion of the Slave) 2kms north of Mtwapa Creek (10 minutes from the Serena Beach Hotel) this national monument contains the remains of a 15th century Swahili slaving settlement and three ruined mosques. Jumba la Mtwana is open daily 8am to 6pm and fees are payable upon entry.Location: The site is signposted 1 km north of Mtwapa Bridge.

Mnarani Ruins Just south of Kilifi creek the remains of a 15th century Swahili settlement including a magnificent pillar tomb and Friday mosque.

Bombolulu Bombolulu is a crafts training school and manufacturing centre that employs over 260 disabled people, mostly polio victims. It features five handicraft workshops, all of which you can visit and the most famous of which is the jewellery workshop offering a wide variety of designs in metal and local materials such as old coins and seeds. There is also a cultural centre displaying six traditional homesteads, a central restaurant and dance floor where traditional crafts, cooking and farming are demonstrated. The Bombolulu workshops are open Monday to Friday 8am to 12.45pm and 2-5pm. Entry is free. There is also a cultural centre and craft showrooms. For further information contact PO Box 83988 Mombasa. Tel +254 (0)11 473571Location: Bombolulu is 3km north of Nyali Bridge.